Furniture Care Tips

Solid wood furniture is an investment that you expect to last a lifetime. To maintain natural beauty and protect your investment, solid wood furniture needs the right care.

Since wood expands and contracts with the variations in temperature and humidity, you should expect each piece of solid wood furniture to react differently depending on the type or species of wood used.

Follow these guidelines for your solid wood dining room furniture, living room furniture, bedroom furniture, kitchen furniture, home office furniture, bookcases, etc., and keep your furniture beautiful for years to come.

Use & Care

There are some simple things you can do to protect your fine furniture during everyday use. Following these tips can extend the life of the finish and the furniture itself.

• Tablecloths, runners and table pads provide the most protection during regular and heavy use of your dining table. Hot pads should always be used when placing warm serving dishes on a kitchen or dining table top. Very hot items such as a saucepan or baking dish should never be placed on a table top, even with a hot pad.
• Placemats will help to protect the finish from dishes and silverware. Coasters will help protect your furniture from moisture.
• Placing your furniture away from windows or blocking direct sunlight will help to protect your furniture from damaging UV rays. This is highly recommended.
• Felt will protect your table tops from scratches when used on the bottom of lamps, vases and other accessories.
• Always use a protective pad when writing with a ballpoint pen on the wood furniture surface.
• Never place burning candles on a finished wood surface. As the candle burns down and the wax melts, this can generate and transfer enough heat to damage the finish and wood surface.
• Avoid using household solvent-based products such as fingernail polish and polish removers around an unprotected finished surface. In case of spills, blot immediately and do not wipe, as this will spread the spill and may cause further damage to the furniture.

Cleaning & Polishing

Cleaning your solid wood furniture regularly will help maintain the value of your fine furnishings. Dusting and cleaning removes the buildup of grease, lint and dust that can get ground into or soften the finish.

Cleaning your furniture should be done with a soft, lint-free cotton cloth dampened with water. Follow the pattern of the grain, use a light touch and rotate your cleaning cloth frequently. Cleaning your furniture with a dry cloth can cause scratches to the finish.

Taking a little time to maintain your furniture investment properly will allow you to enjoy the lasting beauty of your solid wood furniture for many, many years.

The experienced professionals at Valley Sleep Centre & Furniture Gallery are pleased to answer any questions you have about properly caring for your furniture. Stop by and see us today!